Persicaria plant named &#39;silver dragon&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Persicaria  plant characterized by multicolored leaves exhibiting striking silver markings with olive green to brown edges and red purple stems and veins.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Persicaria (microcephala × unknown)

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Silver Dragon’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of an herbaceous perennial of the genus, Persicaria, and known by the cultivar name of ‘Silver Dragon’. The genus Persicaria is a member of the family Polygonaceae.

The new cultivar is a seedling of Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,062). It was found among thousands of seedlings in a neighborhood backyard. As we believe that the original P. m. ‘Red Dragon’ is really a hybrid of Persicaria microcephala, no species designations are given.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This new cultivar is characterized by:

-   -   1) Foliage with striking silver markings and colors.     -   2) Spreading habit.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (cutting and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and micropropagation using standard techniques with terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a one-year-old greenhouse grown Persicaria ‘Silver Dragon’ growing in a container in Canby, Oreg. FIG. 2 shows a two-year-old plant growing in the ground in the garden in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar based on observations of two-year-old specimens grown in the trial garden in Canby, Oreg. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Botanical name: Persicaria (microcephala × unknown). -   Cultivar name: ‘Silver Dragon’. -   Plant:     -   -   Form.—Low, flat-topped mound.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 5 to 9.         -   Size.—90 cm tall and 110 cm wide.         -   Habit.—Clumping. -   Stem:     -   -   Type.—Succulent, with swollen nodes and sheath-like             membranous stipules.         -   Size.—4 mm above the third node down from the tip, 1 cm at             plant base.         -   Surface.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—Dark red. Greyed Purple 183A. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Margins.—Minutely denticulate and slightly undulate.         -   Apex.—Accuminate to cuspidate.         -   Base.—Attenuate with two basal lobes.         -   Size.—6 to 9.5 cm long and 3 to 4.4 cm wide.         -   Vestiture.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Aspect.—Matte.         -   Texture.—Papery.         -   Petiole length.—0.5 to 1.3 cm. and clasping at base.         -   Petiole and major vein color.—Greyed Purple 183A on top side             to Greyed Red 178A on bottom side.         -   Leaf color.—Variable depending on the light intensity. Shade             — Mature leaves topside: Overall mature leaves are green             edged (Yellow Green 147A) with a large silver blotch toward             the base (Greyed Green 191B) and dark purple along main vein             and pooled at the leaf base before the lobes (Greyed Purple             187A). Basal lobes are Yellow Green 147A. Mature leaves             bottom side: Closest to 148B except grayer and with a             reddish cast around veins (Greyed Purple 184A). New leaves             topside: Olive edged (closest to Brown 200C and slightly             greener near tip, Yellow Green 147A) with a silver green             band (Yellow Green 148C) in an inverted V pattern             surrounding a brownish red blotch (closest to Brown 200D).             Small basal lobes are also olive like the leaf edge. The             leaf base near the vein is dark brown, Brown 200A.

New leaves bottom side: Greyed Green 197A with a reddish cast along veins, Greyed Orange 176B. Sun — Mature leaves topside: Brown edged (Brown 200B) with a large silver blotch (Greyed Green 192C) and dark purple veins (Greyed Purple 187A). Late summer leaves fade to an olive green edge (Yellow Green 147A) with a silver V marking (Greyed Green 191B) and an olive triangular basal blotch (Greyed Green 189A) with purple veins (Red Purple 61A). Mature leaves bottom side: Looks red purple. Silver, Greyed Green 195A, suffused with pink, Greyed Purple 183C. New leaves topside: Brown edged (Brown 200B) with the pink blotch (Greyed Purple 183D) with a silver edge (Greyed Orange 177D). New leaves bottom side: Edges are Greyed Brown 189A and the rest is pink, Greyed Purple 185C.

-   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal compound corymbs.         -   Number of flowers.—41 per corymb.         -   Corymb size.—Variable. 5 cm wide and 4 cm deep without             peduncle.         -   Peduncle.—Length — 1.5 to 2.5 cm Diameter — 1.5 mm Texture —             Glabrous Color — Yellow Green 152A.         -   Pedicel.—Texture — Glandular Color — Yellow Green 146A.         -   Bloom period.—August to frost in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—3 mm deep and 2 mm wide.         -   Description.—Ovoid.         -   Color.—White 155B with Yellow Green 145B at base. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Perfect, actinomorphic.         -   Shape.—Campanulate.         -   Size.—2 mm deep and 2 mm wide.         -   Petal lobes.—5, overlapping.         -   Petal color.—White 155D with Yellow Green 145B at base.         -   Petal texture.—Waxy, thick.         -   Calyx.—Scarious and insignificant.         -   Calyx color.—Yellow Green 145B.         -   Stamen number.—8.         -   Filaments.—White 155D.         -   Anther color.—White 155D.         -   Pollen color.—White 155D.         -   Pistil color.—White 155D.         -   Pistil.—Three branched style, 3 capitulate stigmas.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness.—Each corymb blooms for about 3 weeks on the             plant. -   Fruit: Never seen. -   Seed: Never seen. The plant is probably sterile. -   Disease and pest resistance and tolerance: Persicaria as a genus are     susceptible to aphids, slugs and snails. No insect or diseases have     been noted on Persicaria ‘Silver Dragon’.

COMPARISON TO PERSICARIA ‘RED DRAGON’

Compared to its parent Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’, Persicaria ‘Silver Dragon’ is shorter and more branched with smaller and very different colored leaves, more silver than red. Both have red purple stems. 

1. A new and distinct hybrid of Persicaria plant substantially as shown and described, characterized by multicolored leaves exhibiting striking silver markings with olive green to brown edges and red purple stems and veins. 